There are three known cases of the coronavirus in France, the first European country to be affected by the outbreak
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 28 – Kenyan students in China’s Wuhan city have expressed displeasure with how the government is responding to their pleas for help, amidst an ongoing outbreak of the viral coronavirus.
The students have taken to twitter under the hashtag KenyansInWuhan to air their frustrations with some claiming there has been no communication from the Kenyan Embassy in Beijing.
Cornelius Mulili, one of the students stuck in Wuhan told Capital FM News the situation is serious.
“Just disappointed by our country. Second week now in this ghost city and nothing seems to be done,” said Cornelius Mulili.
Rono Kipkorir, another student in Wuhan described the situation as horrible.
“The situation here isn’t good. All our government has done is to give us a press release. I don’t even want to describe what we are going through both mentally and physically,” he said.
John Mulongo said Kenyans in Wahun especially students were in urgent need assistance.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Nairobi had advised Kenyans to keep off the Wahun, Hubei province, the epicenter of the coronavirus epidemic which had claimed 81 lives by Monday.
The number of those dead however increased to 106 on Tuesday, with confirmed infections rising from 2,700 to 4,515.
Map showing countries and territories where cases of the China virus have been confirmed, as of January 28, 0200 GMT
“Kenyan students studying in Hubei have been advised to stay away from Wuhan city until further advised,” the ministry urged.
Authorities in China ordered the closure of education institutions with over 50 million people in Hubei province barred from traveling as 18 cities were placed on a lockdown.
“In order to implement the spirit of the Central Leadership Group Meeting on New Coronavirus Infection and Pneumonia and the relevant deployment of superiors, to effectively prevent and control the spread of New Coronavirus Infection to Pneumonia, the decision was made to postpone the start of spring 2020, and the start time and follow-up work arrangements will be announced soon,” a notification sent to a Kenyan student studying at a university in Tianjin province, about 1,000 kilometers away.
“All students MUST NOT return to school before the start date. Students who are not in school should protect themselves at the current place of residence and actively cooperate with the local epidemic prevention work.”
MFA also asked Kenyans to avoid non-essential travels to Wuhan until the situation is contained.
Already authorities in Hubei province have announced the postponement of the opening of universities and colleges and suspended exams calendar to curb movement and the spread of the virus.
As of Tuesday, new infections were reported in Singapore and Germany as France and other nations raced to evacuate their citizens.
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